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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

How To Make Store Bought Drapes Look More Expensive

Want to get a custom drapery look for the price of store bought drapes and hardware? Don't thread the rod through the drapes pole pocket!!!!

Not A Custom Look Here!

Most store bought drapery (I'm talking store bought like Target, West Elm, etc.) typically come with either a pole pocket top or a grommet top. My advice is to get the pole pocket style in the desired length. And instead of threading the drapery rod through the pole pocket use rings and drapery hooks instead......

Drapery Hook

The result gives you a custom drapery look for a super low cost!

More custom look here!

You place the drapery pins in the backside of the pole pocket being careful not to break through the front. Then you take the backside of the pin (with the hook) and hook them onto the small ring connected to the drapery ring that then goes on the rod.

Sorry to not have good pics...mine turned out so dark. Thanks to So Haute and Isabella&Max Rooms for having some pics on the ready.

Easy as pie and a much more custom look than the using the pole pocket! Let me know if anyone has any questions. I would be happy to attempt better pictures if you need them. I have all of the drapery in my home installed this way so I have done it many times.

P.S. One word of caution though. Depending on the material used you must be careful if you plan to use these as operable drapes. If you have a lightweight linen or silk the drapery pin could rip through if tugged at too hard. One way to work around this would be to have them lined or have the top hem(pole pocket) reinforced with lining or drapery tape....then the pin has more beef to stick into. I always use this technique on decorative side panels that are not expected to be operable.

P.S.S. Some retailers (like west elm and ikea) have added the option to get panels with hidden tabs at the back. This will give the same look but still doesn't look completely designer to me.